#⌒ with pretty flowers ᭢ can come the bee sting ⟢

[doeyun-archived]

、𝓹lumpy 𝓵ips )

( 𝓹uppy 𝓮yes 、 ⠀⠀

[okwonyo]

੭୧ any love i gave . . . @nwjws @isoobie @byhees @boyfhee @hoonvrs @rieumura @redm4ri @soov @okwons @tsukette @luvistqrzzz @ikeusol @seulrio @wvnrqs @seongclb @wooylv is forever theirs to keep.

[idkwhatimdoinghere1655]

Kiss It Better - Sebastian Vettel

<word count - 1509>

"Baby, is there any way you can keep the bees down the other end of the yard? I don't mind them, but I don't want to get stung," you said as you propped your feet up on the outdoor coffee table under the veranda.

You knew Seb loved his bees, and you loved them too, but you didn't want them buzzing around you all the time. "Once the flowers grow up there, they won't come down here," he explained, stepping out of the glass doors and handing you the water you had asked for. 

"And they won't sting you, I promise," he said, taking a seat next to you. You watched as the bees buzzed around, landing on the flowers in the planters that you had all around the garden. You and Seb had bought the house a little over a year ago now, and it was certainly your forever home. 

"So, I was thinking we could put the swings over there?" He said, pointing at a section of the garden that had the trees shadowing it over.  "You're already thinking about swings?" you smiled as he ran a hand through his blonde hair. 

"Yeah, we've only got a month to go, we need to think about these things," he said as if it were the most obvious answer ever. Seb ran a hand over your heavily swollen stomach, still never getting used to the feel of it. "Even so, they won't be able to go on the swings until they're older," 

"I'm still putting the swings over there, and I will use them until they are old enough," he laughed. Seb was pretty much still a big kid himself. Well, a big kid who loved to race really fast cars, take care of the environment and the people he loved.

"You stay here, I need to water the plants," Seb smiled, pushing himself off of the seat and heading to the hose. Of course, all of the water he used to water the plants was rainwater collected in a drum by the side of the house, but it was covered in plants so it wasn't sore on the eyes. 

"OK," you said. Watching Seb watering the plants was just like seeing him in his element. Sure, racing was also his thing, but tending to the gardens and all of that kind of stuff was what he did now. 

He leant over the bushes to get all of the plants, but you heard a sharp intake of breath that sounded like a hiss. He dropped the hose and ran to turn it off. "Hey, you alright?" You asked concerned, sitting upright. "Yeah, yeah. I just caught my finger on one of the rose bushes," he said, holding his finger.

You could tell he was trying to hide it from you, but the blood dripping down his hand couldn't be concealed. You looked at it wide-eyed, and he noticed. "Honey, don't worry-" he started, but you were already in full parent mode. 

"You sit down, I'll go and get some stuff to clean it up and a plaster," you said, standing and waddling through to the kitchen. You heard footsteps behind you, following you through to the kitchen. You were ignoring the ache in your back and hips as you walked, simply worried about Seb.

He stood behind you, holding his finger. "It's really not a big deal, you go and sit down," he tried to tell you, but you weren't having any of it. You pulled his other hand away to reveal the nasty gash down his middle finger. "Does it hurt?" you asked, ripping a paper towel off the roll and holding it to the wound. 

"A bit, but not as much as I know your back hurts," he said, giving you the puppy dog eyes that made you melt. "Honestly, honey, I can take care of this. You need to sit down," he said, blocking your path to the cupboard that had the medical supplies in it.

"I don't do anything anymore, Seb, and I appreciate that, I really do. But, please just let me do this for you," you said, gently pushing him out of the way so you could get the stuff you wanted. "Fine, but promise me you'll take it easy for the rest of the day, OK?"

"I always take it easy, Seb," you chucked, causing him to chuckle along. You found the cupboard and bent over to retrieve the first aid kit from the bottom shelf, but you couldn't really reach. Your bump was in the way and heavily restricted your movements. 

 "You need some help over there, or are you good?" Seb teased, leaning against the counter next to you. "I've got it," you said through gritted teeth, focusing fully on reaching the bottom shelf. Seb watched for a moment, then deciding that he had had his fun and needed to help you. 

"OK, come on, let me help you," he said, moving so he was behind you and gently pulled you up with his hands on your waist. "Sometimes you have to let me help you," he whispered in your ear, his breath hot against the skin.

Playfully, he peppered a few kisses down your neck, his hands gently tracing over your stomach. "Hey, I don't want you getting blood on me," you laughed, wriggling away from him. 

"Sorry, sorry, I just can't help myself," he smiled, getting the first aid kit back out and handing it to you. "OK, this is going to hurt," you said, ripping open the package of a disinfectant wipe. "Nothing I can't handle," he said.

You took his finger and wiped it clean, and the blood definitely made it look worse. Seb winced slightly, "Yeah, that does kind of hurt," he said, his cut stinging. 

"Sorry," you said, making sure the wound was fully clean before unwrapping a plaster and sticking it onto his finger. "Better?" you asked, looking at your handiwork. You had done a pretty good job, if you did say so yourself. 

"I don't know, I think you've missed something out," he smirked, giving you the puppy eyes again. You just couldn't resist those big blues. You lifted his finger to your lips and pressed a soft kiss onto the area, and you saw as a huge smile spread across his face.

"Much better," he smiled, "Now come on, let's get you sat down," he said, looping an arm around your waist and walking you back outside. Helping you back down onto the seat, you propped your feet up.

"Does your back feel any better sat down?" he asked, standing in front of you with his arms crossed. It showed off every muscle in his arms perfectly, and you tried to ignore how crazy your hormones were going right now.

"I never said it hurt?" you said.

"A good husband knows these things, you know?" 

"I guess a good husband does know these things, because you are spot on," you smiled, thinking about how lucky you were to have him. "Aw so I'm a good husband? I am flattered," he teased.

"Lay off it," you laughed as he came to sit next to you. 

"Do you want a massage?" He asked, trailing his fingers lazily up your arm. 

"That is all I want right about now," you said, your back already feeling soothed at just the thought of it. "What about me?" he whined like a child wanting his mother's attention. "Sebastian, wanting you is a given. Now, get massaging," you playfully commanded, turning your back to him. 

"Yes ma'am," he giggled, gliding his hands over the span of your back. He worked his fingers into the overworked muscles in your shoulders and back. Carrying the extra weight of a nearly full-term child was difficult work, and it was showing. 

When he hit a particularly sore spot, you couldn't help but let out a small groan of happiness. "That good, huh?" he teased, and you could hear the cheeky smirk that was on his face by how he spoke. "Yeah, it really is,"

"I can show you something else that's that good," he said, as he tugged you closer to him. Slowly he planted some more kisses down your neck and across your shoulder. "Hey, not now," you chuckled. "But you're already pregnant, I don't see the problem," he smirked against your skin.

"Seb, go finish watering your plants or something," you laughed, pushing him away.

"Fine, but only because you told me to," he smiled, leaning in to kiss you on the cheek. Swiftly, he knelt down and pressed a tender kiss to your stomach. "Don't you move, and I mean it," he said, going to turn the hose on again.

"I won't," you said, thinking you probably wouldn't be able to move, even if you wanted to. You looked out onto the garden of your perfect home, where your perfect husband was tending to the plants and his bees.

And to top it off, you had your perfect child on the way, and your life was shaping up to be the best one you could ask for. 

A/N - If anyone has made a request, I promise I am working on it! It's just taking a bit of time. If anyone else has any, feel free to submit 💖

|masterlist|

[froopis]

With pretty flowers can come the bee sting (Ooh, never thought I would be without you) ✺ 𝆹 ॱ ๑ 𓂋 𑇙

[seneon]

I really like your writing about platonic nagi x older sister reader

Can you do with itoshi brother x older sister reader this time?

kill em' with kindness ──── ft. sae itoshi and rin itoshi.

about. f! older sister! reader | platonic headcanons about reader being the itoshi brother's older sister.

notes. ty for the affirmation! i hc the itoshi brother's elder sister to be nicer than the two of them. like, we need a flower amongst stinging bees right? so here we have a kind sister.

— as an older sister of the itoshi brothers, your presence is unknown to the world, simply bc sae and rin wanted to give you a peaceful life.

— you're a mother figure to them, a peacemaker amongst siblings. so whenever they fought, you'll always be there to make peace between brothers.

— the only times sae and rin agree with one another is seeing you stressed out in your workloads and decided to come to an agreement in stopping their argument.

— rin looks up to you more than he does with sae, simply bc you're more of the kinder and nicer side and at some point rin aspires to be as kind as you.

— sae however, doesn't really care abt you..? he's pretty chill with you ig, considering he's the mature one and he could understand you pretty well.

— when you three were younger, you'll all always hangout together to watch the sunset and eat ice cream together (even if the ice creams the brothers bought were like a two splitting one, they'd let you eat half of theirs)

— then sae had to go to spain bla³ and he kept telling you to take care of rin. after the drama ting you're still caring for both brothers equally even if they treated you like shit for a while.

— eventually rin warms up to you and goes to you about his problems with sae or football and you'd always try to cheer him up with making him chazuke with tea or watching his fav shows with him.

— sae's still being sae, but whenever he comes to visit the family, he'd have long chats with you until late night about his life in spain and why he came to be like this.

— basically, you are both sae and rin's comfort person. they might not have mutual dreams anymore, but they have mutual care and love for their older sister.

[ask-louis-bonnet]

What kinds of insects would your family members be?

a very important question!

this is a fun ask

As i’ve said before, my mom is a picasso bug

very pretty and very artsy, but don’t be fooled by the colors. Usually bugs with really pretty colors mean “don’t mess with me, i’m poisonous! or i atleast taste really really bad!” the picasso bug is no different.

Doug wouldn’t be a dung beetle, tho that would be a funny pun,

He’d be a larder beetle. These guys usually come into a home when there is an absence of a life that was there originally but had since died out or decayed. it also kinda looks like it’s wearing his outfit :)

Stede would be a

a blue rose/flower chafer. these guys are very pretty, and love flowers. Stede likes flowers too. unfortunately, these guys are often removed from a lot of places because they shouldn’t be there, because they love flowers but end up accidentally hurting them (chafing them.)

Ed would definitely be

A deaths head hawk moth. these guys look really scary, and they even have a skull on their back, but if you really get close you’ll find out that these guys are actually wide eyed and very fluffy. cute little bugs

Alma would definitely be

a bee! specifically these metallic sweat bees. very kind insects but also very protective. most female bees are very valiant fighters and have a pretty nasty sting if they feel threatened. but ultimately hard workers who protect their hive against any invaders or threateners.

Evelyn would definitely be

a ladybird spider. these guys copy an elegant ladybug in a mimicry, all so their prey can get close enough for them to secrete their venom to feast on them. really cool, and evelyn wears a lot of red too.

Melvin would be a big eyed ant.

(i cant add an image :( )

very hard workers and loyal to their queens. also diligent!

[m-jelly]

Bodyguard's touch - Chapter 2

@ladycheesington <3

Pairing: Levi x Fem!Reader

Genre and tags: Modern AU, bodyguard Levi, romance, fluff, falling in love, cute, emotional hurt, comfort, protective Levi.

What's in the chapter: Levi treats you to a nice breakfast. You finally meet the family on a dinner date. You meet Erwin Smith and learn about the company.

AO3 link

Part 3

Levi stared at the timer and released a long sigh. He was worried about you because you’d been wrapped up in the duvet of your bed and not moved much. He smiled at the ding of the timer and knew that what he had planned for you today would perk you up. He carefully took out the chocolate souffle from the oven and placed it on a plate. He decorated the plate and made it look as pretty as possible for you. He placed everything on a tray and placed some flowers in a vase.

He moved through the penthouse until he was in your bedroom. He felt his heart sting when he heard you sniffing back tears. He gently called your name making you flinch. “I have breakfast.”

“Thank you, but I’m not hungry.”

Levi looked down at the tray. “Well that’s a shame, I made this delicious chocolate souffle with warm tea.” He sighed. “I’ll have to throw it away.”

You sat up and gazed at him with redness under your eyes. “Chocolate souffle?”

“Yes.”

You nibbled your lip. “Don’t throw it away.”

He sat on your bed. “So, do you want it?”

“Please.”

He placed the tray on your lap and played with your hair as you ate. “How is it?”

You gulped and grinned. “Incredible.” You gripped your cup tightly. “Thank you, you know for not giving up on me and being nice.”

“I can’t imagine what you’re going through, but I want to help you. I don’t know why after all these years Mr Carter wants you in his life, but he does. I’ll make sure you’re safe. Even though Mr Carter employs me, you are whom I’m dedicated to.”

You blushed a little. “Thank you.”

Levi went to speak about how he felt about you but his phone went off. “Excuse me.” He slipped off your bed and pulled his phone out to see it was Mr Carter. “I’ll be right back. Make sure you eat everything.”

“Promise.”

Levi slipped out of your room and answered. “Mr Carter.”

“Levi.” Chester sighed. “How are you progressing?”

Levi moved to a quiet spot. “She is in the penthouse you set up for her mother. I had to bring her here after being hurt two days ago.”

“Hurt? Who hurt her?”

Levi retold the incident in the bar. “I swiftly took care of it. I have removed her from her jobs. I will connect her with the money you’ve had waiting for her. Do you require anything else?”

“I would love to meet her.”

Levi looked over to the bedroom and watched you carry the tray to the kitchen. “I will discuss that with her.”

“Levi.” He sighed. “I have supplied her with a home and money, the least she can do is meet me.”

Levi clenched his phone. “Sir, she’s been through a lot and she’s still hurting from her mother’s death.”

“I didn’t ask your opinion. I employ you to do as you’re told. You’re strong and work hard. I expect you to do the same here.”

“Yes…sir…” He let out a long sigh. “I will inform her.”

“Thank you. I expect her to come to dinner tonight. Ensure she wears a nice dress that was meant for her mother.” He let out a long sigh. “I miss her mother.”

“I’ll get her ready for tonight.”

“I appreciate it. I will text you the location you bring her to it.”

“Yes, sir.” He ended the call and looked over at you as you cleaned up. “Oi, kitten?”

You jumped a bit and looked over at Levi. “Yes?”

He moved over to you and saw you shiver and let out a little moan. “Tonight you’re going out for dinner.”

You frowned. “I am?”

He hummed and cupped the side of your face and rubbed his thumb under your eye. “Mr Carter wishes to have dinner with you.”

You whined a bit. “I don’t know about that.”

“I’ll be with you the whole time, don’t worry. He just wants to meet you and talk about being part of the family.”

You tapped your forehead against his pecs and gripped his black shirt. “Mm, okay. I have been staying at this home and using the clothes he bought for my mother. I should go see him. Maybe he has stories about my mother.”

Levi ruffled your hair. “I’m sure he’ll happily tell you about her.”

You smiled at Levi. “I should get washed up and changed.”

“I will get you a nice dress.”  

“I appreciate it.” You walked to the bathroom and hummed. “I can’t believe I’m going to meet my father.” You stopped and looked back at Levi. “Do I look anything like him?”

Levi stared at you and really took you all in. He felt his heart skip a beat as he admired how beautiful you were. “Nothing like him. You look nothing like his kids either. You are truly beautiful beyond words.”

You gasped as your cheeks burned hot. “Mm, thank you.”

He cleared his throat and went to the walk-in closet. “I’ll get your dress ready for you.”

“You’re too kind.”

Levi released a sigh once you were gone. He walked into the closet and eyed all the dresses that were meant for your mother. Part of Levi hated this all because it seemed like Mr Carter didn’t want you but your mother. Levi liked you a lot and believed you deserved a lot better. He wanted to shower you with happiness and everything you liked. He wanted to see you smile and laugh as often as possible.

He grabbed a few dresses and looked at them. He smiled when he selected a cute green one with pretty flowers that flowed so nicely. He saw it was low cut and would hug your middle tightly. He shivered in delight and couldn’t stop thinking about how you were going to look. He smiled and grabbed a cute pair of sandals that would match. He placed it all on the bed and hummed in thought.

“That for me?”

Levi held his breath when you walked over to him in just a towel. “I ah…uh…yes.”

You touched the dress. “It’s perfect.”

“I’ll let you get changed.” He slipped out of the room and placed his hand on his heart. “Calm down. I can’t fall for her.” He grabbed his case out of his pocket and popped a cigarette into his mouth before standing outside on the balcony. “She’s a client.” He blew out smoke as he leaned on the railing. “She’s cute though.” He smiled as he thought about you and couldn’t wait to get to know you more. “I suppose getting to know her a little wouldn’t be too bad.”

“Levi? Could you help me with my zip?”

He put his cigarette out and turned to look at you. He felt speechless as he looked at you in the flowing dress, it framed your body so perfectly. You looked like a goddess. He moved closer to you and looked down at you. He caressed your cheek before leaning closer as you gazed up at him with your pretty eyes and parted lips. He moved to kiss you but stopped himself.

“Levi?”

He let you go and walked behind you. “Let me help you.” He shifted your hair and slowly dragged the zip up your back. He held your shoulders and squeezed. “You look perfect.”

You turned and faced Levi. “Thank you.”

“I’ll give you a rundown of the family before you go.”

“Thank you.”

He moved you to the sofa and pulled his phone out. “Mr Chester Carter owns a lot of companies, but his original one was simple trading. It is a bit complex though. He mostly buys things when they’re cheap and sells them when they’re expensive.”

You pulled at your dress a little. “Is there anything fun he does?”

“Well, what do you like?”

“Baking and cooking.”

He smiled and showed you a few things on his phone. “He owns factories that make fancy chocolate, cakes and other pastries. You’ve probably seen them in shops.”

You gasped. “Golden cat? He owns golden cat snacks?”

“That’s right.” He moved the images. “Mrs Carter, or Joy Carter owns a clothing line called Joyful.”

You pulled a face. “I don’t like her line too much.”

“It’s not the best.” He showed you a picture of her. “She’s a bit cold. This is her eldest Roland.”

You stared at the image of a man with shoulder-length blonde hair with a harsh gaze like his mother, but he was model-like but you didn’t trust him. “What does he do?”

“He has created alcohol and watches.”

You nodded. “Right.”

He groaned and showed you an image of a delicate-looking woman with thick long blonde hair with perfect skin, a smile and bright blonde eyes. “This is Heather.”

You whined a bit and recognised her from social media. “Heather cosmetics.”

“You know about her?”

“Yeah.”

Levi locked his phone. “Tch, she’s a pain in my fucking ass. She’s very demanding and cries at the drop of the hat to get her dad’s attention. She’s twenty-three and she asks like this.”

You gasped. “I’m older than her and I don’t do that. It’s kind of sad, but she also has an incredible business.”

“Daddy gave her all the money. He pushed for sales using his money.”

You hummed as you nibbled your lip. “They’re so incredible, all of them.”

Levi tucked your hair behind your ear. “So are you.”

“Levi.”

He held your chin and turned your head. “Kitten, you are far more talented and beautiful than any of those Carters. I know Mr Carter is supposed to be your father, but you are nothing like the Carter family and that’s a good thing. You are kind, sweet, gentle and considerate. You are better than any of them. Don’t ever feel like you are small or weak compared to them because you are incredible.”

You wrapped your arms around Levi’s neck and hugged him tightly. “Thank you.”

Levi squeezed you tightly. “I’m always here for you.”

You squeaked when you felt a vibration. “I hope that was your phone.” You giggled as you pulled back and saw Levi blushing hard. “Levi?”

He cleared his throat and pulled his phone out. “It is your father.” He read the text and hummed. “Okay, I have a location.” He got up and walked to the door “Pop your shoes on.”

You slipped on your cute shoes and grabbed your bag. “I’m ready.”

Levi held your chin and wiped the corner of your mouth. “Lipstick.”

“Th-thank you.”

He released you and guided you to his car. “Just be yourself, okay? If you want to leave early, just tell me and we’ll come home.”

“I appreciate it, Levi.” You nibbled your lip as your heart raced. “I appreciate you.”

Levi gripped the wheel tightly making his gloves groan a little. He fought a lot of urges inside him and his thoughts. He released a long sigh in hopes that he could relax, but he felt tension inside him. He wanted to smoke. He growled a bit in frustration at himself.

“Levi?”

He looked over at your bright gaze. “Yeah?”

You smiled at him to put him at ease. “You can smoke if you want? You seem stressed.”

“I’m okay.”

You shuffled in your seat. “Is there anything I can do? I want you to relax.” You frowned as a thought crossed your mind. “Is it me? Do I stress you?”

Levi stopped at the traffic lights. “You don’t stress me out at all. I stress myself out. I have a lot of thoughts and feelings inside me and I’m always fighting myself.” He glanced over at you. “I’m sure you know what that’s like.”

“I do.” You reached over and placed your hand on his thigh making him tense up. “Oh.” You pulled back. “Sorry.”

He drove on. “Don’t be sorry, you just took me by surprise. I welcome the comforting touch.”

You placed your hand back on his thigh. “You’re a sweet man, Levi.”

He pulled into a parking spot and released a long sigh. “I’ll stick with you, okay?”

“Thank you.”

He climbed out of the car and opened your door for you. “My lady.”

You took his hand and climbed out. “No pet name?”

“I have to be professional in front of your father.”

“I’ll miss being called kitten for a bit.” You giggled making Levi smile. “I guess I’ll look forward to it at home.”

Levi pushed the door open and led you to the hostess and gave your name. “Mr Carter is expecting her.”

The hostess bowed. “Yes, right this way. Mr Carter is waiting.”

Levi walked with you. “May I ask, are the rest of the family here?”

“Of course, Mr Ackerman.”

You tensed up. “Levi?”

Levi looked down at you. “You’ll be just fine.”

You reached over and grabbed Levi’s sleeve on the back of his arm. “Thank you.”

“I’m with you the whole time.”

You smiled up at him. “You’re the best.”

He blushed a little and looked away so he wouldn’t lose his composure around you. He had to control himself. He sighed and stopped when he saw the Carters. “Mr Carter, I’ve brought the young miss.”

Chester stood up and grinned as he said your name. “Hello again. I’m sorry our first meeting was weird for you.” He walked closer and opened his arms. “You’re so pretty, just like your mother.”

You backed up when he went to hug you. You saw him look a bit upset so you offered your hand. “Mm, thanks.”

He smiled and shook your hand. “A bit at a time, yes?”

You nodded. “Yes.”

He chuckled. “Wonderful. Now, let me introduce you to the family. This is my wife, Joy.”

You smiled at a woman with shoulder-length light brown hair with perfect skin with a tiny amount of wrinkles being kept at bay with very good Botox. She had makeup on but it was done so well it looked light. You could see she was in the clothing she had designed for herself with the high-collared white shirt and pink blazer on top. She was incredibly thin making her look fragile, dainty and her movements soft and slow. You were sure that if she ever hug someone it would hurt.

You bowed your head to her. “Pleasure to meet you.”

A tiny smile spread over her thin lips. “You too. Oh, don’t be too worried my dear. I won’t be some evil stepmother. I am aware of what my husband did with your mother and we’ve moved on. You are a child of his and we want to welcome you into our lives.”

“Thank you.”

Chester guided you over to his two children. “This is Roland and the other is Heather.”

You gazed at the two picture-perfect adults in their expensive clothes, blonde lushes hair and judgemental eyes. Heather was covered in makeup that looked like she’d been photoshopped. Roland was like a model and he would not stop staring at you, you were beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable with how strongly he was gazing.

You wanted to cover yourself up, but your dress was a bit revealing. “Lovely to meet you both.”

Heather giggled and spoke with a gentle voice high in pitch. “You’re such a pretty thing. That dress looks incredible on your body.”

Roland smirked. “Very beautiful.”

Chester squeezed you. “We’re going to have dinner and drinks on the balcony. Come join us.”

You looked back at Levi. “Will Levi be coming?”

“You’ve grown rather attached to my bodyguard.”

You felt your cheeks burn. “He’s been very kind to me.”

“That’s good.” He moved you outside. “I trust him a lot. He’s done many things for me over the years.” He sat you down and looked over at Levi. “He knows many secrets and has done a lot of naughty things for me.”

You gazed at Levi and saw he looked a little ashamed. “He’s a good man.”

Levi smiled a little and felt confident. He took his blazer off and put it around your shoulders. “You seem cold.”

You pulled it around you. “Thank you. It’s a thin dress.” You shifted in your seat and felt rather overwhelmed when the family started talking a lot. You felt out of place and not included in anything. You just sipped your drink and ate a bit of your food. You flinched when you heard your name called to find Roland smiling at you. “S-Sorry I didn’t catch that.”

Roland chuckled. “I was asking if you had a boyfriend at all, we’d love to meet him.”

You saw Heather smirking as she looked at you and then she carried on eyeing up Levi. “Oh, well I’m single.” You blushed as Levi shifted closer to you and seemed happier. “So, there is no guy for you all to meet.”

Roland shook his head. “What a shame, a real beauty like you should have been snatched up already. Perhaps I’ll introduce you to a friend of mine.”

Heather laughed. “Those idiots? No way.”

“My friends aren’t idiots.”

“They’re disgusting pigs.”

Roland snarled at his sister. “They’re good men!”

Heather rolled her eyes. “Good at being pigs.”

Chester slammed his fist on the tale. “Enough! No childish screaming. We need to set a good impression on our new family member.”

Joy took your hand. “Forgive my children, but they get so excitable sometimes.”

You hummed. “It’s okay.”

Chester sighed. “We’ve made you uncomfortable.”

You shook your head. “N-No, I’m okay.”

Chester smiled softly. “You’re just like her, you know? I am sorry all the clothes in the penthouse were for her, but I had no idea she had a daughter until a few weeks ago. I didn’t get a chance to swap everything to fit you. Please, forgive me.”

You smiled at him. “It’s okay. I know my mother would have liked everything you bought her.”

“Did…did she pass painfully?”

You shook your head. “Peacefully. She got sick and the doctors did everything they could, but she wasn’t strong enough. She was a wonderful mother and I have a lot of fun memories with her.” You hummed a laugh. “She was a silly woman that loved playing around. She was a good person, which is why I was a bit confused when she passed to find loan sharks and that she had an affair with you.”

Joy clenched her jaw. “Chester lied to her and said he was divorced from me. There were talks of divorce, so we were parted but we worked things out after your mother ran.”

You bowed your head. “I’m sorry she had an affair.”

“She didn’t know and you’re not at fault. It is sad you didn’t get a family. We’re here now.”

Chester smiled. “We’ll take care of you.”

You felt a bit uncomfortable, something was a bit off but you didn’t want to think badly of the family that seemed like they were trying. You glanced over at Heather when she called your name. “Y-Yes?”

Heather smiled as she giggled. “How about we go on a fun shopping date soon? Mm? I think it’ll be fun and we can get you some clothes that my father didn’t pick out for his long-lost love. I feel bad that all you have to wear are clothes that belong to a dead woman.”

Chester glared at his daughter. “Heather.”

She pouted. “What?”

Joy sighed. “Sorry, she can be rude sometimes.”

Roland smirked when you tried to hide a yawn. “Are we boring you?”

You blushed. “N-No. I was just yawing, I didn’t mean to be rude.”

Chester shot to his feet. “I’ve had enough.” He called your name. “Come with me.”

You stumbled to your feet and bowed to his family as he stormed out. “Thank you for meeting me.” You looked to Levi. “Levi? What’s happening?”

Levi put his arm around you. “Just follow Mr Carter.”

You nodded and rushed out of the bar and found Chester talking to his bodyguard. “Mr Carter?”

Chester turned to you and smiled. “I am deeply sorry for my family ruining our reunion. I had so many things I wanted to talk to you about. We should arrange to have coffee together, don’t you think?”

“Yes.”

He lightly touched your cheek. “You do look just like her.” He pulled back and looked over at Levi. “Levi? Continue to take care of her twenty-four-seven. Anything she needs, you give it to her. Your job is to ensure she is happy.”

Levi bowed. “Yes, sir.”

Chester smiled. “I bet you’re tired. We’ve kept you here for three hours.” He hummed a laugh. “I’m so glad you have joined the family. Now, I have a family to have a word with.”

You watched Chester go inside the bar. You gulped hard before pulling Levi’s blazer around you more. “Levi? I want to go home.”

Levi put his arm around you. “Me too.”

“Kitten?” The wooden floorboards creaked under Levi’s feet. “Where in the world is she? This penthouse isn’t big enough for her to disappear.” He hummed in thought and kept walking until he located you on the bedroom balcony in a corner. His heart raced when he saw you leaning over and looking. Levi went into protective mode and ran out onto the balcony shouting your name. He grabbed you making you squeak and pulled you to the bed. He threw you on and pinned you in place to see how shocked you looked. “What do you think you’re doing?! Have I failed as your bodyguard? Was the meeting that bad the other night? Tell me what I can do to make you happy. I’ll do anything.”

You gazed at Levi and felt your heart breaking at the sad look in his eyes. “Levi…”

He shook a little. “Please.”

You reached up and caressed his cheek. “I’m okay. It’s okay. I wasn’t doing what you thought I was.”

He frowned. “But I saw…”

“I was just leaning over the railing to see where Mr Carter’s tower was. I’ve never seen it before and it’s famous. I couldn’t see it from anywhere but that spot.”

Levi’s cheeks slowly went pink when he realised he had read you wrong. He whined a bit and felt even more embarrassed by the position he had you in. He had you pinned against your bed with him on top. You looked beautiful beyond words below him. He lowered himself onto you and hid his face against the crook of your neck. He just thought for a moment he could be close to you.

You wrapped your arms around Levi and squeezed him. “I’m sorry I scared you.”

“Don’t be sorry. I was thinking the worst. I’ve had so many terrifying jobs and I looked after Heather once and she was always doing dangerous things. You’re safe.” He shifted his arms under you. “You’re warm. You’re soft. You’re kind.”

You played with his hair and held him for a while. You wanted so badly for him to be yours. You inhaled deeply and smiled at his natural scent mixed with other smells. “You smell nice. Like lemons, flowers and cigarettes.”

Levi sighed against your neck making you shiver at his hot breath. “I’ll get rid of the cigarette smell soon.” He leaned up and looked down at you, his tamed-back black hair was falling out of the hold his product had on it. He smiled a little and lightly caressed your cheek. “You smell the best. Always brings me comfort.”

“Thank you.”

He pulled back and cleared his throat. He fixed his clothes and stood up when he realised he had you in a very intimate position. “I would like to be a man of my word. Your happiness is my mission. So, how can I make you happy today?”

You sat up and hummed in thought. “I would like to go to the Carter Tower. I want to know about the business. I’m mostly interested in the golden cat line instead of anything else.”

“I can take you. I have a friend who is the advisor to your father. Honestly, he deserves the CEO role but he hasn’t been given it.” Levi groaned. “Not that I’m saying Mr Carter is bad…”

You fixed your clothes and walked with Levi. “It’s okay. Everyone has good and bad parts to themselves. My good part is I am kind, but my bad part is I am full of self-doubt.” You let out a long sigh. “We should get going. I would love to meet your friend.”

“I’ll take you to him.” He walked ahead and led you to his car. “We can go to a café with him.”

You sat in your seat and hummed. “Yeah, that’d be nice.”

Levi started up the car and made the short journey to see Erwin. “His name is Erwin Smith, he’s a good man and hard-working. He’s been a friend of mine for years.” He hummed. “Does have a bit of a rod up his arse sometimes. Someone needs to teach him to relax a little.”

You smiled as you fiddled with your bag. “Well, we can always take him places together. I mean, he is your friend and I’m sure he’ll enjoy spending time with you.”

“You’re right.” He glanced over at you to see you shifting as if you were anxious or upset. “Something wrong?”

You shook your head. “Not really.”

“You look like you either need to shit or you have something to say.”

You gasped. “Levi.”

“What? Everyone shits.” He sighed. “So?”

“Did you and Heather?” You looked down at your lap. “You and Heather were you…did…um…”

“Are you asking if we ever fucked?”

You gazed over at Levi. “Levi…”

“No, I’ve never fucked her. We’ve never been a couple. Yes, she has a thing for me and no I don’t have a thing for her.” He sighed. “Yes, I have exes, two actually. The first one was when I was young and all my firsts were with her. It didn’t work out because she didn’t like my job path. My second didn’t work out due to her having multiple affairs, she said it was because I was not there enough for her. That last one was about four years ago.”

You felt your cheeks burning. “I um…you didn’t need to…uh…I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. I wanted to tell you. Why did you ask about Heather?”

You shrugged. “I didn’t want to come between you and Heather. You have to stay with me all the time and I’d feel awful if you were dating someone.”

Levi pulled up. “It’s okay. I just have you in my life right now and I like that.”

You whined at Levi’s comment as he got out of the car. You looked up when he got to your door. “Thank you.” You walked with him inside and felt your heart beating so loudly. You gulped and gripped your chest. You stumbled inside the lift and slammed into Levi’s chest when people got in and shoved you. “Sorry Levi.”

Levi wrapped an arm around you and held you against him. “I’ll look after you, don’t worry.”

You clung to Levi. “Thank you.”

He moved to the back of the lift as it became more filled with people. “Tch, damn lifts are a nightmare.” He looked down at you and felt himself blushing when he felt every inch of your beautiful body against his. He squeezed you a little and moved his hand slowly down your back making you look up at him with your pretty lips parted. He wanted to kiss you so badly. “Kitten.”

“Levi?” A deep voice drew your attention. You both looked to the open doors to see Erwin standing before you. Erwin placed his hand on the lift door. “Good to see you. I didn’t know you were dating.”

Levi released you and cleared his throat as his cheeks burned. “I’m not. This is Mr Carter’s illegitimate daughter.” He said your name and smiled. “She wanted to meet you and know about the golden cat snack line.”

You turned to Erwin and offered your hand. “Lovely to meet you.”

Erwin shook your hand. “You too. Would you like to join me for a cup of coffee or tea?”

“Oh, tea please.”

He put his arm around you. “Let’s go to my office. What is it you’d like to know?”

You hummed in thought. “Well, I want to help out as much as I can and I do bake a lot…well, I did for my old job. I was wondering if maybe I can share some of my ideas?”

Erwin peeled his blazer off to show his broad muscular back under a tight smart shirt. “I’ll make the tea.”

You frowned and wondered how he found the time to work out while working so hard here, if he did it was likely he had almost no time for a social life. “Lonely…”

Erwin flinched at your comment and looked over at you. “You read people well.”

You covered your mouth with your hands. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that out loud. I was just…you work so much and clearly work out at the gym.”

“How do I find the time to socialise? I don’t just ask Levi.” He looked over at Levi. “Why do you look pissed off?”

Levi blushed a little as he felt silly. He was annoyed because all your attention was on Erwin and he’d noticed you were checking out Erwin. “It’s nothing.” He moved over to you and sat down. “Tea.”

Erwin handed the cups over. “Sure. So, what would you like to know first?”

You smiled. “Everything.”

Erwin’s brow rose. “All right.”

Levi sat back and zoned out when Erwin talked for a long time and you asked a few questions now and then. He was a little confused about how he was feeling. He had never felt this way before. He was confused by his feelings. He had been possessive and jealous, but when you gazed at Erwin it annoyed him a little that your attention wasn’t on him. Part of him wanted to compete with Erwin. He also didn’t want to do anything because he got you all to himself every single day.

“Levi?” You smiled at Levi when he gazed at you. “You were zoned out for a while.”

He blushed. “Sorry. Did you need me?”

You nodded. “Yeah.”

Erwin chuckled. “She thought she was taking up too much of my time and was wondering if you could take her home. You have not taken up much of my time, okay? You can come to talk to me whenever you want.”

You blushed a little. “Thank you.”

“I’ll give you my number.” He grabbed his business card and wrote on the back of it. “This is my private number. Call me or text me if you ever need me.”

You took his card and smiled. “Thank you.”

Levi shot to his feet. “Let’s go. You need lunch.”

You stood up and smiled at Erwin. “I’ll message you. We should have coffee sometime.”

Erwin smiled. “I’d like that.”

Levi grabbed your hand. “Oi, come on. You get cranky when you’re hungry.”

You waved to Erwin. “Bye-bye and thank you!”

Levi pulled you into the lift. “You going to ask him on a date?”

“No.”

“Tch, why?”

You looked up at Levi. “Cause I don’t want to.”

“But you seemed like you were into each other.”

You leaned up and kissed Levi’s cheek. “You’re cute.”

Levi’s cheeks burned. “Tch, I’m not cute.”

“Let’s have some delicious lunch together.”

“Was the meeting useful?”

You nodded. “Yes, very. I know a lot more about this company.” You released a long sigh. “It hurts my brain a bit, but I’m glad I have you always with me to calm my mind.”

Levi smiled softly. “Sorry I got a bit grumpy back there.”

“It’s okay. I figured it is because you’re hungry.”

Levi chuckled. “Yeah, that’s why.”

[sinsandsuccubus]

I Wish You Roses - Jack Harlow

Context: “With pretty flowers can come the bee sting”

Genre: angst

Word Count: 1.0k+

Pairings: Jack Harlow x Ex!Fem!Artist!Reader

Warnings: n/a

a/n: This was something quick I wanted to put out, so excuse any grammar errors if there are any. I kind of didn't like the way this ended, but ya know, I always hate my own writing. One of the favorite things I love about myself.

Masterlist ☽☾

“Ooh, never thought I would be without you

I wish you love, I wish you well

I wish you roses while you can still smell them”

The MTV music awards were here, and with every awards program came a performance.

This year around you were performing your new song, “I Wish You Roses” from your new album “Red Moon in Venus”. Once again, you had been nominated for an award, this time, Best Song of the Summer.

You were going up again many other artists, such as Ice Spice, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and your ex, Jack Harlow. You didn’t expect all the different genres of artists in one category, yet, here you were.

Your microphone was glittery gold, to match the color of your album, and you were wearing an orange dress, with diamond Louis Vuitton red bottom heels. You wore a headpiece, specifically a crown, and your hair and makeup was done to perfection.

You took a deep breath, your manager coming along beside you, resting her hand on your shoulder.

“You got this. Don’t forget where the song came from, and sing it for the person who it’s for.” She looked at you and smiled softly, nodding her head.

She was right. You had to sing the song from your heart, for that’s where it came from. And the song was for your ex.

Jack Harlow.

The two of you had been together for almost three years before deciding to break up, the deciding factor being Jack’s newly found career. His music and features had taken him to a new level of famous, something he had never experienced before, and his management team thought it would be best for him to step into further the game with a clean slate. Meaning he had to break up with you.

It was difficult in the beginning, not being with the person you loved, yet seeing them all over the internet. You were truly happy for him, happy he was becoming recognized and credited within his rapping career. However, you did mourn the loss of your relationship, the hole in your heart never closing.

So, after going through tons of therapy and with the approval of your manager, who was like a best friend to you, you wrote “I Wish You Roses”, in dedication to your ex and your previous relationship.

You just hoped he recognized the song was about him.

“And now, singing a new song from her new album, Red Moon in Venus, please give a warm welcome to Y/S/N”

The lights dimmed as you rose up from the center of the stage on a white pillar, aerial silk dancers floating in the air in your presence. You began to sing your song, putting love and effort into each part that you were singing, your vocals strong.

“While I'm here, I'm someone to honor

When I'm gone, I'm someone to mourn

But if you and my heart should someday drift apart

I'll make sure to give you these blessings

Because they're all I've got

My love's deep as the ocean

Don't you drown on me

Just know any love I gave you's forever yours to keep”

As you belted the song from your heart, you looked into the crowd, spotting Jack sitting front row. You kept eye contact with him for the majority of the song, eyes drifting from him as you finished the song, ending it with notes from the heart.

You're gonna want me back

You're gonna want me back, you're gonna

You know we can't do that

You know you can't do that, you know it”

The crowd applaud as you ended, slowly drifting back onto the pillar, sighing as it was lowered into the stage. You smiled at your manager, who immediately handed you a snack and a bottle of water, a ritual you had going after your performances.

“You did great Y/N.” She spiked, embracing you in a hug.

“It felt like it. Let’s just hope he got the message.”

Smiling and waving at everyone, you slowly made it to the Sheppard Bus parked in the section for the attending artists, holding your award in your hand.

You had won song of the summer, your fans supporting you all the way through. You were happy, ecstatic, yet there was still one person you wish you had heard from.

“Maybe he won’t stop by.”

“I doubt that Y/N. Look.” Your manager pointed towards the parked Sheppard’s bus, Jack standing in front of it, a bouquet of flowers in his hand. You smile and nodded your head towards your manager, who took the award from you and made her way towards the vehicle. Slowly you walked up to him, your dress trailing behind you swiftly.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” Jack spoke, fiddling with the packaging of the flowers he held in his hands.

“Are those for me?”

“Oh shit, yes. Yeah, they are.” He thrusted them towards you, a small laugh leaving your lips. You took in a whiff of the roses, smiling as you looked back up at Jack.

“They’re gorgeous, thank you.”

“Of course.” There was a pause.

“Listen.” You both spoke at the same time, “Wait” you both spoke again, looking at each other with a smile.

“Go ahead.” You nodded to Jack, who began to twirl the ring on his finger - a nervous tick, something you had picked up on while you were together.

“Listen, Y/N I- I never meant for things to go down between us like they did. It was never my intention to hurt you, now that I can see that with the song you performed tonight.”

“So you think it’s about you?”

“Wasn’t it?” Jack looked at you panicked, his bright blue eyes looking directly into yours.

“Of course it was Jack, I was just messing with you.” You smiled softly, a sigh leaving Jack’s lips.

“Phew. Don’t do that, you know I don’t like sarcasm like that.” You both laughed it off, your eyes drifting down to the flowers.

“But like I said. I really didn’t want our relationship to end between us as it did, and I’m sorry that I hurt you.”

“Jack… let’s not do this right here.” You spoke softly. “How about tomorrow, over lunch?” You looked at him, hoping he would say yes.

“… Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay. I’m cool with that.” He nodded at you, placing his hand on your cheek. Smoothly, you moved closer to him, kissing him on his cheek.

“I’ll text you the details. Goodnight Jack.”

“Goodnight Y/N.”

[hellion-child]

i saw the trailer for season 8 which gave us ✨nothing✨ so have some ✨Bee Facts✨, courtesy of years of my beekeeper bestie infodumping @ me and that one time us fireys assisted the dpi with bee stuff (aka i am Not an expert) (and yet that does not stop me from yappin, so under the read more it goes lmao)

bee swarms

swarming is a natural thing bees do and is a sign that a colony is healthy and flourishing! a colony splitting into two or more colonies is what helps the bee population grow, and now theyre looking for a new home. they are chill about it too, not aggressive unless provoked. this usually happens in spring

moving hives

bees have a strong homing instinct and moving a hive just more than one metre/three feet can disrupt them and the bees could even die before they find their hive again

when hives are moved a long distance the bees are locked inside the hive. best done at night bcos no bees will be out foraging. to help bees reorient to the new location, theyre usually kept shut inside the hive for up to 72 hours.

the vibrations of the vehicle can piss them off too, and the longer a hive is locked inside their hive, the more aggressive it can make them

bees and the weather

bees can detect changes in temperature and pressure very quickly and can detect incoming bad weather. and, yknow, hurricanes and tornadoes dramatically affect air pressure

bees wont fly in the rain/wet (yous already know this lmao), their wings get wet, and theyre unable to fly, they die. bees will be very active before and after a storm, and usually testy. with incoming bad weather the worker bees that work as foragers stay in the hive and work as guards instead. so the hive suddenly has a lot of "extra security" lmao

(fun fact there are multiple jobs that a worker bee has and as she gets older she makes her way thru each role)

after the bad weather bees can get pretty frantic bcos they very badly need food and water. not being able to leave the hive agitates them, leaving them prone to aggression and more sensitive to threats, so more likely to sting etc etc. they settle down once theyve got their food and water (hangry bees)

bees and pheromones

theres a number of pheromones that bees give off, that cause changes in behaviour and physiology in other bees. bees have a very strong sense of smell, like 100 times stronger than humans. (some researchers have used bees to sniff out diseases like cancer and diabetes!)

the "queen mandibular pheromone" (qmp) is produced by the queen bee and draws worker bees to her. u can put a queen bee in a box (eg for transport) and her workers will sit themselves on the outside of the box to stay with her

if u soak recently dead queen bees in rubbing alcohol it will preserve the qmp pheromone and u can use it too attract bees. its called "tincture of queen" and also "queen liqueur" and my personal fav "queen juice". apparently it smells lemony to humans.

(and angry bee pheromones smell like bananas! beekeepers use the smell of their hives to help monitor how happy and healthy their bees are)

worker bees produce nasonov pheromone to attract other worker bees, for recruitment and to help lost bees come home. it smells like lemongrass, and lemongrass oil can actually be used to lure bee swarms. bees are drawn to strong floral scented perfumes bcos they smell like flowers, but also perfumes can contain compounds that are similar to bee pheromones and that will also draw bees.

rl accidents involving bee hives

here is an article about a truck transporting hives that crashed. crews and civilians worked to rescue two men trapped in the truck while being attacked by bees. two members went to the hospital to be tested for stings. the truck driver didnt make it.

here is an article about the time a truck lost its load of bee hives. some young bees clustered together and other older angrier bees were buzzing around. they got all the bees back to their hives, some beekeepers were stung, the truck driver was stung more than a hundred times.

here is an article about another crash involving hives. the crew used their water to simulate rain that encouraged the bees to return to their hives

at this crash the crews used foam to control the bees- the fire suppressant is deadly to bees and most died.

thank u fer comin to my ted talk 😌😌

[auricupcake]

with pretty flowers can come the bee sting..

[every-dayiwakeup]

I don’t know how many people know The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, but long story short it’s about a bull named Ferdinand who lives in Spain. Unlike the other bulls, Ferdinand would rather sit under a shade and smell flowers than fight. One day, he sits on a bumblebee, gets stung, and he reacts in typical bull fashion (which we’ve established by now that Ferdinand isn’t). 

“Ferdinand jumped up with a snort. He ran around puffing and snorting, butting and pawing the ground as if he were crazy.”

Five men had come to his pasture to single out the “fastest roughest bull to fight in the bull fights in Madrid”, and they saw Ferdinand reacting to being stung. It was in that moment where they decided he was the bull for the job. 

They didn’t know Ferdinand wasn’t a fighter. They only saw him during a moment of pain, where he wasn’t himself. They assumed by the looks of him that he was exactly what they were looking for. 

He was taken away from his pasture and his favorite tree for bull fight day. 

“Ferdinand ran to the middle of the ring, and everyone shouted and clapped because they thought he was going to fight fiercely and butt and snort and stick his horns around.

But not Ferdinand. When he got to the middle of the ring, he saw the flowers in all the lovely ladies’ hair, and he just sat down quietly and smelled. 

He wouldn’t fight and be fierce no matter what they did. He just sat and smelled.”

This got me thinking about Billy. The majority of his screentime, we see his reaction to “being stung”. In his memories, we see that he once had his own pasture, a happy place, before his first few stings. 

People judge him for his reaction, but they don’t seem to realize that he has been stung repeatedly and he is in no position to get away from this particular bee (Neil). 

When he is left to his own devices, he’s pretty much chilling as much as he can when the swarm isn’t present. 

Of course, he doesn’t fucking enjoy living with his abusive father. At his core, Billy isn’t a fighter. He’s had to fight to survive, but the only times he really lashes out are during or after a particularly traumatizing event (his mother leaving, Neil’s abuse, moving to Hawkins). 

The way he’s described by the general fandom, you’d think he goes into situations and immediately starts swinging, which isn’t true at all. 

Take the Byers’ fight for example. He only pushes Steve after the guy lies to him about the whereabouts of his little sister, who’s wellbeing has been made his responsibility. He knocks Steve off his feet, to get the big threat out of the way. He doesn’t want to fight those kids. He’s there for Max, not a fight. 

But it always ends in a fight for Billy. 

[lastdayofaboy]

Never thought I would be without you I wish you love, I wish you well I wish you roses while you can still smell 'em With pretty flowers can come the bee sting But I wish you love, I wish you well I wish you roses while you can still smell 'em

[bigbadripley]

I Wish you Roses - Prologue

Marc Spector/Steven Grant x Female!OC

Summary: Marc never expected to see his childhood friend Simone ever again. To Simone, Marc may as well have been dead. However, when Simone met Steven 15 years after Marc disappeared, she couldn't help but notice how familiar he was. 

18+!! | 1,417 Words | Third-person omniscient | Dark?fic/Angst/Eventual Smut | AU/AT | Warnings: OC with religious trauma, childhood trauma, sexual trauma. Mention of childhood sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, the effects of child abuse in adulthood, murder, suicide, alcohol use, drug mention, all the parents in this story are terrible, The only saving grace is Steven

A/N: The songs used for this fic may not have anything to do with the story besides my thoughts when I hear the chosen lyrics. That being said, the chapter titles won't always make sense. It's just an idea I had.

I update warnings with each chapter. Only proceed if you can handle the themes included in the warnings. I wrote this entirely as a trauma dump. 

Lastly, Marc/Steven being involved and the addition of a traumatized psychiatrist is in no way meant to romanticize, fetishize, or otherwise; mental illness or illnesses/trauma. 

Minors DNI, DL;DR, if I miss a warning, please let me know.

Chapter list

"Never thought I would be without you I wish you love, I wish you well I wish you roses while you can still smell 'em With pretty flowers can come the bee sting" -"I Wish you Roses" by Kali Uchis

 I'm not great at writing like you are or brave enough to tell you all of this to your face. I don't even know if I'll be able to give you this note, but I want to try. I think you're great, and you should also see that in yourself. I like your hair and how soft it always is, same with your skin. I like the clothes you wear even though you don't always like them, you always look good. You're super funny and smart as fuck, and you're really pretty. I can't stop thinking about how cool it would be to not have to cut through the woods to get to your house anymore. Maybe we could get a place after graduation? I know your mom only likes me sometimes, and this is probably really weird to read, but I'm okay with just being best friends if you don't like me like that. I don't want things to be weird, so we can still run away and play bingo in the old folks home when we're 70. No matter what, I love you Moni. 

-Count Spector

P.S. if you read this and you don't like it please don't yell at me.

 It was an ordinary Tuesday afternoon when they met. 

It likely wouldn't have happened if Steven hadn't insisted that he and Marc go see an actual therapist, and Marc finally broke, telling him to go on his own. 

Ever since the divorce was finalized, Marc had been acting this way. They both obviously had their issues, but Marc was convinced that Steven would likely be his only companion again from then on.

That was what drove Steven to try and seek professional guidance. How do two people living in a single body branch out and get to know other people? He took the first step by finding a psychiatrist in the area. 

Steven wasn't sure what to expect when he picked Dr. Dooley, a polite-looking gent who was likely 60 years old. He just knew one person with an open appointment slot had experience with their problems. 

He arrived 20 minutes early in hopes of getting their paperwork filled out and getting in sooner. Neither he nor Marc expected to walk into the waiting room and be stopped dead in their tracks. 

Directly behind the reception desk was a wooden door with a metal plaque that dawned "Dr. Simone Fredrick" on it, and to the side was a crystal clear glass window to the office. 

The blinds were drawn, and they spotted a woman in a yellow button-up top through that window. This woman had long dark hair, skin that took the same tone as a cup of London Fog, and the sweetest smile that fit perfectly to the lower half of her face. She was chatting with another man who was barely visible through the window but was clearly the doctor they came to see. 

She was the most incredible woman Steven had ever laid eyes on. It was terrifying for him.

Without further deliberation, Marc backed them out of the office and outside. "Steven, Holy shit!" He said.

"She was gorgeous, yeah?" Steven replied. Marc popped back in, feeling slightly panicky. 

"We can't go back in there."

Steven felt Marc's anxiety but couldn't pinpoint why he was suddenly feeling this way. "Why the bloody hell not? We have an appointment!"

"I know that woman, or I knew her, at least," Marc said. Steven took control, thinking he had never seen her before, and stepped over to look through the glass doors. 

There she was, still talking to Dr. Dooley. She turned her head in their direction, and he moved to the side of the building again before she could spot them.

"How do you know her?" Steven asked, trying to make sense of it.

"We were friends in school. She was probably the only friend I had. She's-"

"She's so attractive it's unreal. I gotta meet her." Steven insisted. Marc took back over without warning and began walking in the opposite direction of the office.

"Nope. Absolutely not. Odds are she'll recognize me, and it'll be weird." 

Just as quickly, Steven changed their direction. "She won't recognize me, though." He said. Marc wouldn't budge on the subject. Knowing Simone, she would clock him right away. He pivoted and began walking the other way again.

"Right, the guy who shares a whole fuckin' face with me. Genius! We're going home."

"Why are you the one chickening out?" Steven asked, stopping them where they were, realizing to passersby they must look nuts pacing back and forth.

"Because I know she's gonna take one good look at us and say 'Marc motherfucking Spector' and hit me! And she's got a ruthless right hook that I don't think either of us wanna be on the business end of." 

As he spoke, he started taking off further down the sidewalk. 

Under no circumstances are we coming back to this place. Moni looks happy, let's not fuck that up. Marc thought to himself. Steven had just about given in to Marc's insistence.

"Excuse me?" They heard a sweet, American voice speak up from behind them. They stopped and turned around slowly to find Simone, who had seen them looking through the door after all, waiting for them to respond. 

Steven got in the driver's seat, and Marc retreated back to his corner of their collective brain. 

"Oh, hi." Steven greeted. 

Simone couldn't quite place it: she had seen this man before. Somewhere, somehow. She was surprised that he had a local accent, seeing as she didn't know many locals, particularly ones this gorgeous. She figured there wasn't any harm in coming out and asking. 

"Do I know you? I saw you from inside, and I could've sworn-"

"I don't believe we've had the pleasure," Steven said, holding his hand out. "Steven Grant," He introduced himself as casually as he could muster. She was even more beautiful up close.

Though Simone found him charming, she indeed hadn't met him before. She stuck her hand out and shook,

"Simone Fredrick." She greeted. She found him quite handsome when he wasn't creeping through her office door. So much so that their handshake was dragging on a bit longer than average. 

The pair realized this at the same time and pulled their hands away. Simone gestured to the building they were standing by, realizing there was zero context to how she spotted him. "I work just inside there, by the way. I'm taking lunch now, but I can help if you were looking for someone through that door." She said, followed by a laugh. 

Steven found the humor in it, realizing they hadn't backed out soon enough and admiring how adorable she was about teasing him for it. "Just never been in that building before. Wanted to see what it was all about... psychiatry and all." He told her awkwardly. 

Simone sensed this was a lie, but Steven spoke up again before she could overthink it. "You got a business card?" He asked. 

There was silence between them for a second as Simone thought about it. Business card? Like, he wants my office number? Who am I, Patrick Bateman? 

"I don't, actually. But-" Simone stopped and dug through her bag for a moment, pulling out a pen and an old punch card to a bubble tea place nearby. She put the card on the brick wall and wrote out her office number before, in a feat of spontaneity, she also wrote her personal cell number. "The first one is the number to the office, with my direct extension. The other is my cell." She told him as the card changed hands. 

Steven looked at the card and smiled, noticing how professional her handwriting looked and how she crossed her sevens. "I'll be using these." He told her. He took a second to think if he should ask her to lunch right then and there but realized how quiet Marc was. 

Shit, he thought. I should get home and talk to him about this. 

"I should get going. It was nice meeting you, Simone." Steven said, backing up down the sidewalk. Simone flashed him a million-dollar grin and nodded,

"You, as well, Steven."

[earthwalkinangel]

With pretty flowers can come the bee sting🌹🐝

[alvertesongdiary]

Kali Uchis - I Wish You Roses

Ooh, never thought I would be without you I wish you love, I wish you well I wish you roses while you can still smell 'em With pretty flowers can come the bee sting (Ooh, never thought I would be without you) But I wish you love, I wish you well I wish you roses while you can still smell 'em

I was a rose in a garden of weeds My petals are soft and silky as my sheets So do not be afraid to get pricked by the thorns While I'm here, I'm someone to honor When I'm gone, I'm someone to mourn But if you and my heart should someday drift apart I'll make surе to give you these blеssings because they're all I've got My love's deep as the ocean, don't you drown on me Just know, any love I gave you's forever yours to keep

Ooh, I wish you roses and roses and roses and roses and roses I wish you roses, yeah, roses, roses Ooh, I wish you roses and roses and roses and roses and roses I wish you roses, yeah, roses, roses

Ooh, never thought I would be without you I wish you love, I wish you well I wish you roses while you can still smell 'em With pretty flowers can come the bee sting (Ooh, never thought I would be without you) But I wish you love, I wish you well I wish you roses while you can still smell 'em

Ooh, I wish you roses and roses and roses and roses and roses (I wish you roses) I wish you roses, yeah, roses, roses (I wish you roses) Ooh, I wish you roses and roses and roses and roses and roses I wish you roses, yeah, roses, roses

You're gonna want me back You're gonna want me bad You're gonna— You know we can't do that You know we can't do that You know we—

06/03/2023

[bewitchingbaker]

♭ for a song that reminds me of our muses' relationship

The baker thumbs through his collection of books, doing a weekly organize since he added a few new books to his collection. Some music played through his speaker so it could make the process a little less boring. A mix of some rather old tunes filled the background, some Kumbia here, and some classic r&b. Every other track, a modern ballad might pop up.

Ooh, never thought I would be without you I wish you love, I wish you well I wish you roses while you can still smell 'em With pretty flowers can come the bee sting (Ooh, never thought I would be without you) But I wish you love, I wish you well I wish you roses while you can still smell 'em

A hypnotizing and welcoming melody filled his ears, bringing back memories of dancing with a certain witch. Late night drives with loud laughs. Cloudy days where he spent all day cuddled up with her, whispering sweet nothings. Greta Martin, cool confident Greta. While they're time as lover had passed, they remained pretty close friends. Happy to support the other through anything.

Brown hues checked his phone, smiling at the song.

"I wish you roses," Chris mused. "This has Greta energy."

[ @gretaphasmatosmartin ]